Pictures: 'We started blasting his music to see if it was him' - superstar Sam Smith hops aboard holidaymakers' boat on Lake Tarawera

A boatful of holidaymakers on Lake Tarawera near Rotorua were ecstatic to see singer Sam Smith making his way over to them, just moments after they blasted his music across the water to see if it was him.

Tayler Powell, visiting from the US, was boating on Lake Tarawera on Monday when she and her family friends from Cambridge spotted someone they thought looked like the British superstar.

The 24-year-old said they knew it was him when they spotted an elbow tattoo he's known to have, and played hit song Stay With Me loud enough for him to hear.

The superstar is currently on vacation in New Zealand and has been spotted in Rotorua.
Source: Natala Pettit/Tayler Powell

"We started waving at him and he waved back, then came over on his boat and hopped on ours," Ms Powell told 1 NEWS NOW.

"He was taking pictures and selfies, asking what we were doing and how our holiday was going."

She described the singer as "genuine, easy to talk to and very lovely".

Smith was spotted on Monday at Rotorua's Okere Falls Store, where staff also said he was friendly and happy to chat with fans.

The soulful UK singer took home gongs for best new artist, best pop vocal album and song of the year for his hit Stay with Me.
Source: 1 NEWS